The Muggleborn Contracts
by ChelleyBean
Summary: My response to mine own challenge on WIKTT. This is what happens when the MoM gets too darn nosy.
1. Desperate Measures

_Dear Reader;_

**_Don't scold!  _**_I have a perfectly good reason for starting a new story.  I've issued a challenge on WIKTT, and it is only fitting that I answer my own challenge.  You can find "The Marriage Law" challenge on the WIKTT group.  It runs through _09/14/2004___ for those who are interested, giving you an entire year to respond.  Those of you who want to give it a whirl, please do so and have a blast while you're at it._

_As usual, I own nothing.  The great and powerful J.K. Rowling is the true genius behind it all._

_Love,_

_ChelleyBean_

~***~

"But, Lizzie."

"Don't you 'but Lizzie' me, Augustus Snape!"  Elizabeth Snape folded a nightgown haphazardly before slamming it into her suitcase.  She could do this faster by magic, of course, but doing it by hand kept her from throttling her husband of seven years.  "You know how I feel about that 'law'.  I'm on the committee working towards having the damn thing repealed!"

A gasp from the doorway made them turn.  Standing there were three girls, ages three, five and six.  All three had hair that was the same dark black as their father's had been in his youth, but in a riot of baby-doll ringlets like their mother's.  The two eldest had obsidian eyes to match the hair, the toddler's eyes were a clear, bright blue.  The two eldest were growing tall and were very slender while the toddler's baby-fat still made her cheeks and limbs delightfully pudgy.  The middle girl looked up at her elder sister and gave a whisper that was clearly audible to the adults.  "Mother swore!"

"Now look what you've made me do!"  Elizabeth's voice cracked like a whip as she slammed her suitcase shut.  "Cathy, did you pack everything like I told you?"

The oldest girl nodded.  "I packed for myself and Jenny packed for herself.  We both packed for the baby."

The toddler's face screwed up and she plucked her thumb from her mouth.  "I not baby!"

"You're taking the girls?"  Augustus gave his wife a look of pure incredulity.  His young wife sighed. 

"Of course I'm taking the girls.  I can hardly leave you to deal with them, and my mother's been bothering me to bring them to visit for ages."

"But… you _are_ coming back, aren't you?  I mean… this is hardly a matter to dissolve a marriage over!"

"Augustus, you know very well that a wizarding marriage cannot be dissolved.  Otherwise there would be no point that that idiotic law!"  Pale cheeks were tinged with angry red as she tugged the suitcase from the bed.  "I'm certain that once I've calmed down enough to be in the same room with you and not want to turn you into a toad, we'll be back.  Until then, however, I'm taking the girls with me so that they do not have to witness what's coming."

"What's coming?"  

"Honestly, Augustus, if I didn't know better I'd say that you're going senile."  Elizabeth walked towards the door.  "You _do realize that your son is going to show up at any moment, ready for your blood?"  _

Catherine's eyes widened.  "Severus is coming?"  She looked both fearful and hopeful.  Jennifer, however, gave a squeal and bounced on her toes.

"Oh, I want to see Severus.  Please, Mum!  We never get to see him!"

"Who Sev-us?" asked little Trinity, her blue eyes turning towards her father.

"A bloody pain in the arse."  

"Augustus!"

"Oh, give over, Lizzie.  It's an accurate description of the whelp."  

Elizabeth dropped her suitcase and placed her hands over the toddler's ears.  "Don't say things like that!  You know she's bound to repeat what she hears!  Sometimes I wonder how you can complain about your son when you're every bit as bad as he is.  Cathy, Jenny, take Trinity downstairs."

"Are we going to take the car, Mother?"

"Are you sure it still works, Mum?  Jenny took Trinity's chubby little hand into her own.  
  


"Of course it still works.  Go on and get inside.  I'll be there soon."

"Not before kissing your father good-bye, you don't."  Augustus glared at his wife as he walked past her and lowered himself onto one knee.  Three girls took turns giving their father a hug and a kiss.  "Be good for your mother and grandmother, and remind them what a great man I am."  He ignored the snort from his wife behind him.  "If you're very good, maybe I can talk your mother into letting me take you to the sweet shop when you get back."

"We'll be perfect, Father," said Catherine, very seriously.  

"We won't even pull pranks on Grandmother's cat," added Jennifer.

"Want lolly," stated Trinity with a very stubborn set to her chin.

"Ask your grandmother for a lolly when you get to her house.  She's bound to have some."

"That's enough, girls.  Go down to the car."  Elizabeth watched her daughters vanish down the hallway, her back ramrod straight.  

"Lizzie…"

"That law is an abomination.  They've taken bright, promising young men and women and reduced them to… to… breeding stock!"

"I know, Darling, but…"

"Then why did you do it?"  She rounded on him, her face suddenly very pale.  "If you agree with me, why did you commit the same sin that those stuck-up, self-centered, pureblood idiots have been doing for the past three months?  Is this the real you?  Do you think that muggleborns are beneath you, unworthy of being allowed to make their own choices?  Is that all _I am to you, breeding stock?"_

Augustus blinked.  "No!  I already had my heir!  I didn't need to marry a muggleborn to save my family line; I married you because I love you."

"So instead of supporting me in my attempts to abolish that damn law, when as a muggleborn who married a pureblood of her own, free will I have more credibility than anyone, you go behind my back and take advantage of the damn thing!"

"I was desperate!  The boy is being unreasonable!"

"Augustus, your son is almost forty.  Don't you think it's high time you stopped calling him 'the boy'?  And what of this poor girl you've shackled to him?  Did you know her parents are also working with the committee?  We have several Muggles who have joined us for the sake of their children.  And the girl happens to be very close to the Weasleys.  They have six sons, four of whom are still unattached.  Did you ever stop to think that she may be thinking of spending the rest of her life with one of them?"

"Waste a girl like that on the Weasleys?"  The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them, and from the way his wife's eyes flew open, he knew he had said something terribly wrong.  

"And at that, I take my leave of you.  If I manage to calm down, I'll send you an owl.  When your son arrives, do recall that you've got every bit of it coming to you."  The words were like ice as they fell from her lips.  Without another glance for her husband, Elizabeth Snape reclaimed her suitcase and stalked out of the bedchamber she shared with her husband.  Augustus had long since learned that it was foolishness to try and talk her out of a temper when she was in the midst of one.  She had done this before, although she had never taken all the children with her, only whichever one still needed nappies changed or was still breastfeeding.  He could usually count on her leaving Catherine to keep him company.  She did have a point, though.  The law was quite despicable, and Augustus didn't _really agree with it.  However, his son _was_ almost forty and he still refused to do his duty to the family by settling down and having children of his own.  He and his son were the last of the Snapes, and Augustus didn't have the heart to ask Elizabeth to have another child, not when having Trinity had nearly killed her.  _

The law was quite vicious, really.  The Ministry of Magic had finally paid attention to the warnings of the Healers who had long since realized what was causing the dramatic rise in squib births and stillbirths among purebloods.  It was the same thing that was causing the steady decline of intelligence, magical power and attractiveness in the same group.  Too many generations of cousins marrying cousins to keep the bloodlines pure had wreaked havoc on the genetics of the Old Families.  Studies proved again and again that those established families who married Muggles or Muggleborns every now and again were more stable, more prolific and more powerful.  If the Old Families were going to be saved, they were going to have to start marrying Muggleborns and half-bloods themselves.

The problem was that Muggles didn't hold with such old-fashioned ideas as betrothals.  The Old Families still mapped out every aspect of their children's lives, even to the point of selecting their future spouses.  Muggles preferred to let their children forge their own paths and had proven unwilling to enter into betrothal contracts with the purebloods that had approached them. Some of the members of these Old Families had taken their troubles to Fudge, and somehow it had all culminated in The Marriage Law.  Under the new law any pureblood wizard or the head of a pureblood wizard family could petition for a betrothal contract binding a Muggleborn witch or wizard to them.  At first, surprisingly, it had been Muggleborn wizards who had been taken.  They had been included in the law for a sense of fairness, but no one had really thought that many families would want their precious daughters marrying outside of the Old Families.  Upon closer inspection, however, it had been found that many of these young wizards were already involved in romances with their future spouses, and the girls had begged their fathers to petition for them out of fear that some other family would steal them away.  It wasn't until the past few weeks that things had begun in earnest.

The most scandalous incident so far had been a bloody fist fight that had erupted between a young man named Marcus Flint and that middle child of Arthur Weasley.  Apparently young Weasley had gotten wind that Flint was going to petition for one Miss Penelope Clearwater the following day, so he swept his schooldays sweetheart off to Scotland immediately and married her straight away.  Flint had been near murderous upon finding out, but eventually calmed down enough to settle for his second choice, a young witch by the name of Silverton.  Rumor had it that the girl had gone into hysterics upon finding out that she was going to be forced to marry the boy and had attempted to run off to Australia.  Flint and his father had tracked her down and brought her back to their family home, and the Ministry did nothing to stop them.  The last picture of the couple in the papers had shown a quiet, subdued girl who wouldn't raise her eyes from the ground before her, let alone smile.

Parkinson had surprised everyone by claiming a young Muggleborn wizard by the name of Dean Thomas for his daughter.  Though Thomas was legally of age, he still had one year of school left, along with his future bride.  Augustus suspected it was Mrs. Parkinson's idea.  The boy was said to be quite the artist, so much so that Albus Dumbledore had commissioned him to create a painting for the school.  Devinia Parkinson was a great lover of the arts and would be thrilled should she manage to have a grandchild who could be the next Picasso.  The very next day the Thomases had sought out Elizabeth Snape and joined her efforts to have the law repealed.  Mr. Thomas was a rather wealthy banker who had married an heiress, and their funds combined with Lizzie's considerable allowance gave them plenty of gold with which to fund their campaign.

There were several others so far, but not as many as there could have been.  The Muggleborns weren't added to the list until they were of legal age, and the purebloods tended to avoid anyone over the age of twenty because they would have already become too headstrong and unyielding to be easily bullied into submission.  Upon attaining legal age the Muggleborn witch or wizard's name appeared on the list by magic, along with a file listing all their attributes and academic achievements.  Augustus, feeling desperate after yet another year of his son refusing to so much as open his letters, had gone to the Department of Family Affairs to view the list just the other day.  He had been thoroughly disappointed by the selection, at first, until the list of names there began to shift and move to make way for a new one.  He had requested the file and had been thrilled at what he found.  The girl was perfect!  Intelligent, brave and definitely on the side of good.  The sketch that had magically appeared in the file had shown a woman who was, if not a classic beauty, better than average in looks and possessing the kind of bone structure that would remain attractive throughout the years long after today's beauties had succumbed to the ravages of age.  He had signed the forms at once, stopped at a nearby pub for a couple of drinks and then headed home to tell his daughters a bed time story and join his wife for a rather enthusiastic bit of cuddling before falling to sleep.

He was still deep into his musings when a loud bang rang up from the bottom story of the house.  "**FATHER!"  Augusts winced and sighed.  Speaking of stubborn children…**

Solid, purposefully heavy footsteps sounded on the elegant, highly polished wood floors below.  Eventually they found their way to the stairwell and increased in volume as they drew nearer.  Augustus walked over to a chair by the large window in the bedchamber he shared with his wife and sat down, crossing one leg over the other in a practiced pose of composed unconcern.  He was purposefully studying his nails when he saw his son stalk into the room out of the corner of his eye.  "Severus, how good of you to come for a visit."

"And just _what_ is the meaning of _this_?" the cold voice of his only heir snarled.  Augustus looked up to see Severus brandishing a roll of parchment in the Department of Family Affairs official silver-white.  

"It would appear to be a Ministry of Magic ordained betrothal contract.  I would have thought it was fairly simple to understand."

Severus face crooked into a nasty sort of grin.  The boy's entire appearance was quite off-putting.  What did he do to his hair to make it so blasted greasy?  His mother, Augustus' first wife, had been blessed with a mane of glorious ebony locks the texture of silk (when Augustus allowed himself to dwell on those years) and the Snapes had always been blessed with a healthy head of hair.  The nose, poor thing, had come from the Snapes, as had the eyes.  The thinness of body had been from his mother's family (the Snapes were rather massive in the chest, although tall, giving them the look of professional opera tenors).  Actually, if the boy would take better care of his hair and apply a few dental charms (no idea where those teeth came from) he wouldn't be too hard on the eyes.  

"Why yes, I believe it is a betrothal contract.  Now would you be so kind as to tell me why the devil you did this?!"

Augustus raised one perfectly shaped, ebony brow.  "I would think that obvious.  Thirty and unmarried is nothing unusual for a wizard, but nearing _forty_ and single is something to be concerned about."

"I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY BEING NEARLY FORTY AND SINGLE!"

"But you have a duty to your family."

"DEVIL TAKE THIS BLOOD FAMILY!"

That hurt, it truly did, but Augustus didn't blame the boy.  He really had bungled thing with his son from the start.  He didn't blame the brat if he felt no drive to further the line.  "Severus, I know you're upset, and for good reason.  However, I have done what I felt was best for all parties concerned.  Even if you do not wish to become a father, surely you don't wish to remain all alone in life.  Take if from a happily married man; a wife is a wonderful thing to have."

"So you pair me up with _her_?  You do realize that she is one of my students?  A _current student?"_

"Yes, I do believe that was mentioned in the file.  Also mentioned was the fact that she's shattered every academic record, including those set by Tom Riddle, a.k.a. He Who Must Not Be Named and the prediction that she will be more powerful than even Albus Dumbledore once she's trained up properly.  Lucky I was there when her named popped up, really."

"I happen to know that her birthday isn't until September 19th.  There is no way that she can be considered of legal age.  This contract is illegal!"

"No, no, the contract is valid."  Augustus got up and walked over to the dresser, atop which was the file on his future daughter-in-law.  "It's all right here; something about a time-turner she was given during her third year.  Apparently the little dear signed up for every possible class, and rather than forcing her to shave her subject list back, they let her have a time turner so she could repeat hours.  Added about five weeks and three days to her age."  He chuckled richly.  "Reminds me of your mother, actually, although Desdemona was never quite _that_ ambitious.  Pity the girl wasn't born a pureblood, or she would have been in Slytherin.  Of course, had that been the case, we wouldn't be having this discussion."

"She is the most annoying, the most irritating chit ever born!  And if you think that I will _ever stoop so low as to touch that little bint…"_

"Not touch her?"  Augustus pulled out the sketch and studied it closely.  "Why ever not?  Lovely little thing.  I certainly wouldn't kick her out of bed for eating biscuits."

"Yes, well it is an established fact that you are nothing but a dirty lecher."

"That's rather low, don't you think?"

"What else do you call a man who marries a woman younger than his own son?"  Severus mimicked the famous Snape brow arch and looked around.  "Speaking of which, where is the little tart?"

"Keep a civil tongue when speaking of your step-mother."  Augustus' voice was ever bit as cold as his son's could be, but he felt he should at least be honest.  "She's taken the girls and gone to her mother's.  She's not very happy with me at the moment."

Severus gave a confused frown.  "Girls?"

Augustus sighed and rolled his eyes.  "If you ever bothered to open the letters I sent you, you would know that you are a brother, to three adorable little girls." 

His son gave him a wide eyed expression of shock.  "Merlin's Balls!  You're still _procreating?"_

"Quite spectacularly, actually.  You know, Lizzie and I are living proof that the reasons behind this law are valid ones.  Your mother and I had three children who didn't live past a month before you.  Lizzie and I never had a bit of trouble."

"I'm so very happy for you."  The sarcasm dripped like melted candle wax from his son's lips.

"Mind the cheek, whelp."  Augustus squared his shoulders.  "Yes, your step-mother is unhappy with me at the moment. She is leading the movement to have The Marriage Law abolished, you know.  She's rather upset at my course of actions."

"Really?  Who would have thought that a Hufflepuff would have developed such a high level of intelligence?  I shall have to remember to find a reason to award a point to her house when I return."

Augustus plowed on as though he had not been interrupted.  "But, I know my wife well enough to know that she'll eventually come around in the end.  Oh, she'll still insist the law is wrong, but she simply cannot stand to sleep alone."  A dreamy smile crossed his face.  

"That was more knowledge than I required of you."  

"Merlin's Nightcap!  Don't tell me you're still a virgin."

"NO I'M BLOODY WELL NOT!"

Augustus let out a sigh of relief.  "Thank goodness for that.  I was worried there for a moment."  A polite smile returned to his face.  "Well then, I best be off.  I've got an errant wife to coax back into them home and I know a gifted jeweler in Amsterdam who will be a great assistance.  Would you like me to pick up an engagement ring for your young lady while I'm there?"

"No I most certainly do not!"

"Quite right, of course.  Nothing less than the Snape family ring will do.  I'll pick up a ring for Lizzie to replace it, then.  Must hold to traditions, mustn't we."

"YOU AREN'T GOING ANY WH…" but it was too late.  Augustus gave a jaunty smile and a wave before disapparating from sight.

Severus growled and reached out blindly, closing his fingers around something on a nearby dresser and hurling it across the room.  The beautiful crystal perfume bottle shattered, drowning the room in the thick scent of jasmine and lilies.  


	2. Four Unwed Sons

Hermione, Harry and Ron were busy helping redecorate the drawing room at Number 12 Grimmauld Place.  Professor Dumbledore had helped them to un-charm the last items that were fastened with Permanent Sticking Charms and during last term the walls had been stripped of their old coverings and scrubbed clean.  Harry and Hermione were having quite a time teaching Ron and Ginny how to apply the new wallpaper that Molly had picked out while they had all been in school the previous term.  Since the house was now Harry's, and finally free of the last vestiges of the Blacks (with the exception of Kreacher) they were attempting to give it a more homey appearance. Harry had simply turned his Gringotts key over to Mrs. Weasley and asked her to do her best with colors and furnishings, figuring she would be a better judge.

All the items patterned after serpents had been disposed of, many of them replaced by either leonal style equivalents where appropriate, such as the door knobs and the knocker on the front door.  The old furniture with its thinning black and green velvet had been reupholstered in warm burgundies and gold, as well as having been given a little extra stuffing to make sitting more comfortable.  The teens were doing quite well in applying the new wall paper, which was a rich burgundy with a subtle _fleur de lis pattern, broken here and there with a strip of gold.  With two walls already done, it was clear that the finished product would be far more welcoming than it had previously.  _

"Mum says she's making the curtains herself.  She went on for hours about how designers these days try to rip you off by overcharging for what basically amounts to a sheet of fabric with a bit of trimming along the bottom."  Ron grinned broadly and winked at Hermione.  "I've never seen her happier.  She's always loved bossing people around, especially if it accomplishes something.  Redoing The Burrow would be a complete waste of time with all us kids, but this place is more for adults.  Remus and Kingsley aren't likely to tear up the new cushions by having fights with them."

"But you're all nearly grown now, and there's only you and Ginny left in the house during holidays."

"Yeah, but we're all growing up and likely to get married, aren't we?  She's getting rid of us, but she'll have a load of grandchildren to deal with soon, if the way Bill and Fleur are going at it is any indication.  Two already and a third on the way."

"What about Percy and Penelope?" came Harry's voice as he stood on his tip-toes to run the wall paper brush over the top of his current piece, chasing out the air bubbles.  

"Penny's told Percy he's sleeping on the couch until he cuts back his hours at work to spend more time at home."  Ron gave a snort of laughter.  "Dad said he heard him yesterday actually requesting a _demotion_ and to be moved to another department for the sake of his marriage."

"Is Fudge going to let him?"

"Nope!  Won't demote him, but did agree that he was working Perce too hard.  Went on and on about how he remembered being a newlywed and how hard it was to concentrate on your job with a pretty wife waiting at home.  Agreed to let Percy cut back to only sixty hours a week instead of eighty.  Dad says Fudge only did it because he wants Percy and Penny to have a half-dozen children themselves so he can hold them up as an example of how much good that new law is going to do for us all."

Hermione made a noise a good deal like Crookshanks when he was particularly annoyed.  Ron looked over at her with an arched brow.  "Don't worry, 'Mione.  Mum and Dad say Lizzie Snape is heading the campaign to have it repealed."

"Lizzie Snape?"  Harry set down his brush and stretched out his shoulders.  "She related to Professor Snape."

Ron gave a sly grin.  "His step-mother. Caused a big stir a year or two before we all went to Hogwarts.  She was a Hufflepuff and a muggleborn, top of her year and everything.  Charlie said she was as pretty thing, too.  Said she had all these golden blonde curls with bright blue eyes and a body that a bludger wouldn't have the heart to hit.  Really out-spoken, too.  A lot like you, 'Mione, always throwing her weight behind what other people would consider lost causes."

"What did she do that stirred things up?"

"Married August Snape, of course.  Man's older than her own father, and a massive bloke, too.  Could probably pick her up with one hand and hold her above his head.  Snape's mum was a pureblood, and pretty as well.  That whole family is one of the Old Families, one of those who can trace their bloodline back to nothing but witches and wizards for centuries.  For old Snape to court and marry someone that young and a muggleborn was a scandal."

"She'd have to be younger than the professor!"  Hermione gave Ron a look of complete and utter shock.

"Yeah, she is.  And what's more, she's had three children since her marriage so it's obvious that it's not just 'in name only'."

Hermione got the brief image of a man who looked much like Professor Snape, only older and very obese, slobbering all over a pretty girl who looked a lot like a curly haired Barbie doll in a Hogwarts school uniform.  She suddenly felt rather queasy.  "Well, I'm glad that there's someone so respectable standing up against the Ministry regarding this.  The entire thing is outrageous!  And it doesn't just hurt muggleborns, but purebloods, too.  Poor Pansy."

"Poor Pansy!?  Just two years ago you were calling her a 'complete cow' and declaring that she was 'thicker than a concussed troll', and now it's 'Poor Pansy'?"  Ron dropped his wallpaper brush in shock.

"Ron, look at it from her side.  She doesn't want to marry Dean any more than he wants to marry her.  Everyone knows she considered herself the future Mrs. Draco Malfoy, and now she's going to stuck the rest of her life with someone who doesn't want her.  I only hope that Dean can be grown up enough not to be completely horrible towards her when we're back at school."

"Oh, Dean will be all right, Hermione.  He and Neville are the only two gentlemen in the dorms."

"HEY!"  Harry and Ron both glared at Ginny, who looked completely unrepentant.

"And don't worry about yourself, either.  I overheard Mum and Dad talking the other night, about what to do about you.  Dad's going to 'switch sides', withdraw from the committee so it doesn't hurt Mum's creditability any."

"Why's Dad doing that?"

Ginny rolled her eyes.  "Because, you idiot, he's going to camp outside the Ministry of Family Affairs door on the 19th of September so he can be there when they open.  That way he'll be able to sign for Hermione before any of the other families have a chance."

"Your Dad's going to apply for a contract on me?"

"Of course he is!  The Order decided it," added a new voice from the doorway.  All four students turned to see Fred and George enter the room, one carrying a glasses and a pitcher of pumpkin juice, and the other carrying a tray loaded with sandwiches.  "Mum asked us to bring you some lunch."

Harry gratefully claimed a sandwich.  "Why would the Order interfere with this?"

"Obvious, isn't it?"  Fred gave an uncharacteristically solemn look as he poured the pumpkin juice.  "Hermione here is the brightest witch of the century, and even Dumbledore admits that with a little experience and time to broaden her studies she'd give even him a run for his gold."

"And the Order's worried that some Death Eater would try to use this law to kill two snitches with one stone.  Take Hermione away from the Order by locking her into marriage with one of their brats and at the same time ensure that their own family continues to thrive with a dozen or so healthy, clever children."  George gave Hermione a roguish wink as he handed her a glass of pumpkin juice.  "But don't worry your clever little head over it, my dear.  As head of the family Dad can request an open betrothal, just linking you to the family rather than to a single wizard."

"And with four unmarried sons, you'll have plenty of choices.  If you like the strong, rugged type, you can settle down with Charlie."

"Or if you want someone whose light hearted and will always make you laugh, you can choose one of us."

"Or both of us, if you'd rather.  We're not opposed to sharing."

"That's sick!"  Ron glared at the twins over his glass.  Fred grinned and carried on.

"But if you want someone you can boss around and who you can control entirely, there's always Ickle Ronniekins."

"Hey!"  Ron jumped to his feet, his glass sloshing in one hand, his other hand knotting into a fist.  His face was turning a brighter shade of red than his hair.  Ginny started to giggle uncontrollably and even Hermione and Harry were trying not to smile.

"If I were you, I'd choose George, Hermione."

"But aren't you George?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"Yep, and if I were you, I'd definitely choose me."

"It would serve you right if I took you up on that."

"Please do!  All those smarts at my beck and call?  The advancements we could make in the business would be unbelievable."  He gave a far off, dreamy-eyed smile.

"And besides, I'm going to marry Angelina," added Fred.  

"What!"  Ginny stopped giggling to goggle at her brother.  "Are you really?  Or is this like the Yule Ball back in my third year and you haven't even asked her yet?"

"Nope, I've asked her.  We're taking Mum and Dad out to dinner tomorrow night to tell them officially, so don't say a thing to either of them."

Ginny leapt up from her spot on the floor, eyes bright.  "Oh Fred!  This is wonderful!  Mum's going to be so happy!"  She threw her arms about her brother with a loud squeal.  Ron grinned at Fred, his fist unknotting. 

"Congratulations, Fred.  Maybe Angelina can manage to make an honest man out of you."

"Not likely, since she's almost as big a prankster as I am."  Fred let go of Ginny and smiled at them all.  He looked as though he might faint at any moment.  "I won't lie and say I wasn't scared. With everything that's been going on, I was afraid that she wouldn't want to do it just yet, might want to wait until the war's over.  She wants to go ahead with it all though, only she wants to keep things small and private so we don't draw any unwanted attention.  Her folks have a little cottage outside of Hogsmede with a rose garden and…"

He was cut off by the sound of something coming down the chimney.  They all turned in unison to see a large, tawny owl come swooping out of the flue.  Thankfully it had been swept recently, so there wasn't a large amount of soot to endanger the rolls of wall paper that were stacked neatly beside the hearth.  It soared over to where Hermione was standing by a burgundy and gilt chair, fluttering down to land beside her and held out its leg.

Hermione untied the envelope from the owl's leg and it immediately took off again.  She frowned at the wax seal on the silver-white envelope.  "It's from the Ministry of Family Affairs."

The room went deathly quiet.  Ron gazed at the envelope and swallowed.  "It's not a death notice, they put those in black."

"You don't think…" Ginny couldn't finish the thought.

"Can't be," said George.  "Hermione's not of age until September 19th.  They have to wait until she's at least seventeen."

Hermione swallowed hard and broke the seal with a trembling hand.  Everyone else in the room watched her as her eyes moved quickly back and forth across the parchment.  The color drained from her face and before Ron could get out a concerned "Hermione?!" her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell to the floor in a dead faint.

Ginny bent down and snatched up the parchment.  She opened it and began to read aloud.  "Dear Miss Granger, the Ministry of Family Affairs is pleased to inform you that, pursuant to the recently instated Wizarding Family Preservation Decree Number 274, your hand has been betrothed in marriage.  An official copy of the contract is available to you upon request, signed by Augustus Ignatius Snape on the behalf of his son… SEVERUS **AURELIUS _SNAPE!?!_**"

All four Weasleys and Harry stared at one another in shocked silence for exactly five seconds before they knew what had to be done.

**_"MUM!!!!!"_**


	3. For the Best

Unfortunately for the children at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, Molly Weasley was not in the house to hear their call for help.  She, along with Mr. Weasley, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Andromeda and Ted Tonks and the Doctors Granger, had all journeyed to the residence of one Penelope James for an emergency committee meeting.

"He did WHAT?!"

"Signed for Hermione Granger when her name popped up on that infernal list."  Lizzie Snape set down the sheaf of papers she was holding onto her mother's elegant dining room table before leaning down to lift Trinity into her lap.  The cherub-cheeked toddler nestled immediately against her mother's bosom, her mouth and tongue eagerly working on a cherry lolly her grandmother had given her.  "He said that her name appeared while he was perusing the list, and since all the other choices were horrible, he snatched her up before someone else did."

"But that's not possible.  I thought the names didn't appear on the list until they became of age.  Hermione isn't seventeen until the nineteenth of September.  I know my own daughter's age!"  Brandon Granger was quickly becoming an impressive shade of plum.  Juliet Granger, on the other hand, was extremely pale.

"But… isn't your step-son a teacher at the school?  Surely the Ministry cannot be willing to let such a union come to pass."  She looked towards the Weasleys.  "Arthur, surely there's some way to stop this."

But Arthur was frowning, one hand absently mopping his bald spot with a handkerchief.  "The Ministry will be expecting that the actual marriage take place after Hermione completes her final year, of course.  As for her name appearing early, I can only think that it must have something to do with that time turner she used in her third year."

The other witches and wizards at the table blinked.  Lizzie gaped at Arthur.  "Who was the idiot that thought it was a good idea to give a third year a time turner, and why would you want to?"

Brandon rubbed the back of his already burning neck.  "Well, Professor McGonagall explained it all to us before doing it, of course.  Hermione couldn't make up her mind what classes she wanted to take, so she signed up for everything.  Some of them overlapped, so she was given a time turner to allow her to repeat hours.  We had to sign a permission form from the Ministry about it."

"You mean this lot can travel through time?  Imagine the business opportunities."  Mrs. Thomas gave her husband a disapproving glare, which he ignored with a smile.

"But the Ministry has always disregarded additional time from use of time travel in regards to age, Arthur.  We Aurors would still have to consider her an underage witch should she get into legal troubles."

"Yes, Kingsley, ordinarily they would.  However, Fudge is desperate, as are the purebloods.  They see their own families giving birth to more and more squibs, to children with illnesses and deformities, stillbirths and all other manner of troubles.  Then they see people like Andromeda and Ted here, who are a pureblood and a muggleborn.  Their daughter is a metamorphmagus, something rare and powerful.  Harry Potter is the product of a pureblood and a muggleborn, and he defeated You Know Who.  Then there's the muggleborns themselves, with Hermione shining brighter than all of them.  They want that power, that strength, and it's become obvious that the only way to get it is to take it by force.  The muggle parents who have given birth to magical children were unwilling to enter betrothal contracts.  It's too old fashioned a notion for them."

Juliet gasped.  "Malfoy."

Arthur's eyes shot up to the Grangers.  "What was that?"

Juliet looked at her husband.  Brandon swallowed.  "About six months ago, when the children were still at school, that git of a wizard you had the tussle with in that bookshop showed up at our office.  Said he wanted to discuss some business with us.  We agreed to speak with him after we finished seeing our patients.  We had him in the office and he started going on about how difficult it could be for Hermione once she left school, with Juliet and I being Muggles.  Well, we're not dim.  It didn't take very long of hearing him explain Wizarding Society to realize he was trying to sell himself, or his family and its connections rather."

"Then he offered to 'help' Hermione with her future by extending a betrothal contract with his son."

Kingsley frowned.  "Malfoy approached you for your daughter?  That isn't good."

"That's exactly what we were hoping to avoid by having Arthur 'split' from the committee."  Molly sighed, her shoulders slumping.  "We thought to keep Hermione out of harms way by binding her to our family until the law had been abolished."

  


"However, this might be a better choice."

Everyone stared at Arthur, who was still frowning in thought at a blank place on the table.  When he didn't elaborate, Brandon decided to ask.  "How can this possibly be a better choice?  The man is almost as old as I am."

"Because of whom he is," began Arthur, "and who his family is.  They're very powerful and very well connected.  Also, most people who attended Hogwarts over the past couple of decades still fear him.  He's a formidable wizard in his own right and even Malfoy holds him in respect.  There aren't many who will go against the Snapes in regards to this, and Severus was already aware of the plan.  He'll complain and glower, but I think he can be trusted to stick to the basic idea."

"So we're just supposed to let our daughter go on with everyone believing she's going to marry a man who's treated her like an irritating brat for the past six years?"

"Brandon, she'll be safer under his protection.  And he'll be at the school with her, able to keep an eye on her.  If Lucius Malfoy is willing to approach you before the law and seek her hand for his son, then our worst fears have a valid basis.  That family has been linked with dark dealings for generations and we're certain he's a Death Eater.  Gaining control of your daughter would not only grant him security in the knowledge that the next heir to the Malfoy line would be born healthy and powerful, but as Draco's wife Hermione would have little to no opportunity to help us in our fight."

"I'm not entirely sure I want my daughter involved in your fight."  Brandon sighed and ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair.  "On the other hand, we raised her not to sit by while people were being treated unjustly.  This Voldemort character (he didn't notice how most of the people at the table flinched) sounds like Hitler, only worse.  I shudder to think what that madman could have done had he been a wizard."

"I hate to say it, but I have to agree with Arthur on this one."  Everyone turned towards Andromeda, who shrugged.  "The Malfoys have all been rotten, but the Snapes are sort of half and half.  Augustus was a real prat in his younger days, but Lizzie here has been really good for him.  This was heavy handed of him, I'll grant you, but Severus is trusted by Albus Dumbledore and I trust that wizard's judgment over any other's.  And Arthur's right about how few will be willing to go against the Snapes in this.  That family holds a lot of power."

The Grangers still looked unconvinced.  Elizabeth gave a sound that was a lot like a growl before deciding to put in her two knuts.  "Look, I can't say that I've had much exposure to Severus since my marriage, and I'm certain he thinks badly of me, but I believe he's an honorable man.  I remember him when he was my teacher, and I won't deny that I wished him a long and painful death, as did most of the student body. On the other hand, no matter how hard they try to deny it, Augustus and Severus are a lot alike."

Juliet arched a brow.  "Considering that the age difference between you and your husband is greater than it is between your step-son and our daughter, that is not something that inspires comfort."

  


Lizzie grinned.  "I meant that they are the same in that they keep their word once it is given."  She shifted Trinity's weight in her lap as her leg began to fall asleep.  "I doubt that he's willing to speak to his father at the moment.  I'll go to Hogwarts and speak with him after the term starts and before Hermione comes of age.  That should give him enough time to calm down to the point he won't hex me on sight."

"You think that he'll listen to you?"

  


"I'm not a student any longer, so I no longer have a reason to be afraid of him.  Also, whether he likes it or not, I'm the matriarch of his family now.  He'll listen to me or he'll wish You-Know-Who would put him out of his misery.

~***~

"Hermione, wake up.  Come on, please wake up."  Ron was shaking his still unconscious friend by her shoulder, ignoring Fred and George with their suggestions of giving her a firm slap across the cheek.  It wasn't that he thought it was a bad idea, but he knew that she had a stunning right hook he didn't want to be on the receiving end of.  "Harry, I think she hit her head too hard when she fell.  Ginny, go find Mum."

Ginny was about to leave when she bit off a curse and turned back to her brother.  "I forgot, she's not here."

"Not here?  Where did she go?"

"Committee meeting with Lizzie Snape."

"A little late for that now," remarked Fred darkly.  

"What is going on here?"

Four red haired heads and one rather messy black haired head spun around to gape at the doorway.  They had all somehow forgotten how tall Professor Snape was, or how his full-cut robes billowed to the point that he could completely fill a doorway.  Even though they didn't leave for school until the day after tomorrow, and therefore he did not currently have the power to land them in detention or take away house points, even those who had already left school were quite frightened of the Potions Master.

None of them dared answer him, but his eyes had landed on the girl Ron was still hovering over.  Suddenly he was moving into the room and towards Hermione.  Perhaps it was temporary insanity that brought it about, but just as quickly all five conscious youths had moved to place themselves between their fallen comrade and Severus.  He glared at them.  "I am hardly likely to molest the girl, so stand aside!"

"Considering that it's now your legal right to do so, I think we'll stay where we are," countered one of the twins with a mulish expression.

"I gather that Miss Granger's current condition has something to do with that idiotic betrothal contract, then."  The crowd before him did not answer other than to glare.  "Move!"  They scattered out of his way, allowing him to approach the silent girl and kneel down beside her.  "Have you tried _enervate yet?"_

"No."  Snape looked up at whatever twin had answered with a disdainful look.  "She wasn't stunned, she fainted!"

He sighed and rolled his eyes.  "Of course it would be the intelligent one who passed out."  Removing his wand from his robes he pointed it at his fiancé.  "Enervate."

A soft sound escaped her lips as her eyes fluttered open.  They were slightly crossed as she came to, but she blinked them a few times to force them to focus.  Looking up she came eye to eye with Severus.  The sound that came from her was something of a cross between a yelp and a squeak, and so unexpected that Severus jerked back.  Quick as a flash, Hermione sat up and scooted backwards until she was flush with the wall, her skin a pasty white and her eyes wide with what looked like fear.  

"Get hold of yourself, Miss Granger!  I am not here to drag you off to the nearest church!"

She flinched as though he had struck her, her eyes moving frantically around the room until she spotted the letter from the Ministry where it had fallen from Ginny's hand earlier.  Hermione's hand shook violently as she raised a finger to point at the discarded parchment.  "P…professor… your father… he… he…"

"I am well aware of my father's latest attempt to prove his own insanity."  

"But you're… you're my _professor_!"

"I am well aware of that fact as well, Miss Granger."

"I can't marry my professor!  It isn't ethical!"

"We are in complete agreement there, Miss Granger."

Ginny moved towards her friend.  "Hermione, are you all right?  You hit your head pretty hard when you fell."  She was maintaining a soft, gentle voice, as though frightened Hermione might attack someone if startled.

"If she's capable of wrapping her mind around ethics, then she's perfectly fine, Miss Weasley.  Where are your parents?"

"They're at a committee meeting with Lizzie Snape."

"A little late for that now."  Severus didn't see the look exchanged between the twins, and neither twin was willing to admit he had shared the same exact thought less than ten minutes ago.  "When will they return?"

"I don't know, Professor."

Severus gave Ginny a disdainful look and straightened his robes.  "Very well.  I recommend that we bring Miss Granger to the kitchens.  A cup of chamomile tea to sooth her nerves would not be amiss, and I could do with something from the wine cellars."  Without bothering to ask Harry if he minded opening what were technically his wine cellars, Snape turned on his heel and left the room.

Ginny was no stranger to a kitchen, but there was little skill in brewing a pot of herbal tea.  What did require skill was keeping your eye on the teapot so that one of the twins didn't spike the tea with whiskey, but she wasn't quite experienced enough to manage that bit just yet.  Hermione coughed a bit from the unexpected burning, but Severus merely sniffed her cup before handing it back to her without comment.  For himself he selected a nice, tawny port from what proved to be a rather extensive collection hidden behind a secret door in the pantry.  Ron had found where his mother had hidden the leftover cakes from tea the previous day and set them on the table for everyone.  An awkward silence filled the kitchen as they waited, and eventually Ginny bullied Ron into helping her start dinner as four o'clock approached.  

By the time Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Kingsley and Mr. and Mrs. Tonks had returned at a quarter 'til seven, there was a hearty meal of roast game hens, boiled potatoes, glazed carrots and hot rolls waiting for them.  Mrs. Weasley was clearly grateful that her children had taken the initiative of preparing the evening meal and praised Ginny on her cooking while Arthur nervously approached Professor Snape.

"Severus, if I might have a word with you across the hall…"

Severus seemed to have been expecting this.  He had only drunk one glass of the port, but now claimed an additional glass as he and Mr. Weasley left the room.  Hermione watched them leave with a nervous expression, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.  On either side of her sat Harry and Ron, their stony expressions resembling those of gargoyles that guarded the teachers' lounge at Hogwarts.  When the adults did speak to any of them, it was with soft voices, much like one would use with a mentally disturbed person.

The exception to this was Mrs. Weasley, who seemed to think that the best way to nurse emotional trauma and periods of high stress was to gorge yourself on food.  She fixed a plate for Hermione that contained more food than the girl would have been able to eat in a single day, let alone in a single meal, and set it before her.  "There you go, Dear.  Tuck in.  A full stomach will make it easier to sleep, and a good night's sleep will make things seem far brighter in the morning."

"Don't think food is going to help this one, Mum," commented Fred as he buttered a roll.

"Slipping a bit of hemlock into Snape's port might, though," added George.

Mrs. Weasley glared at her twin sons before pouring Hermione a mug of butterbeer.  She was just about to sit down herself when Severus' voice at the level of a roar came from the room across the hall.

"HAVE YOU LOST WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR MIND?!"

Mr. Weasley's response wasn't heard, but they did hear a door being flung open hard enough to slam against the wall.  Ted Tonks gave a low whistle.  "Sounds like Arthur's told Snape the plan."

"What plan?"  Hermione gave Mrs. Weasley a look that resembled a deer caught in a pair of headlights.

"Don't worry about it just yet, Dear.  Come on, eat your dinner."

"What's Dad said that's got Snape so upset?"

"_Professor_ Snape, Ron.  Another roll, Harry?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."  Harry buttered a fresh roll before biting into it.  The door to the kitchen swung open as Remus Lupin arrived.  He swung a heavy satchel from his shoulder and set it down in a chair by the door.

"Dinner smells wonderful, Molly, as always."

"Thank you, Remus, but Ginny did the cooking tonight."

Lupin gave Ginny a warm smile, causing her to blush scarlet, before moving to claim a chair for himself.  He was just about to sit down when Snape's voice boomed out again.  "I AM _NOT_ GOING TO SURRENDER TO MY FATHER'S INSANITY!"

Remus paused, his brows raised.  "Is something the matter?"

"Snape's father signed him up to marry Hermione," responded Fred around a mouthful of carrots.  Hermione lost hold of her fork which skittered over the table and landed on the floor.

"He did _what_?"  Remus automatically offered his still-unused fork towards Hermione.  "I thought we'd all agreed that Arthur would sign of Hermione, keep her out of harms way until the law was abolished."

"Yes, well, that was the plan, but none of us thought that the Ministry would ignore precedent and go by actual age rather than calendar age."  Molly removed a fresh pan of hot rolls from the oven and transferred them to a bread basket which she then sat upon the table.  "However, it was decided earlier today that this will work out better."

Hermione lost her grip on her new fork, but this time Harry caught it deftly.  Ron forced down a bit of game hen.  "Better?!  How can this be better?"

Molly finally started fixing her own plate and claimed a chair.  "Because the Snapes have just as much political and social prestige as the Malfoys.  Lucius would find it difficult to contest the contract, whereas he could probably bribe the officials at the Ministry to favor him over Arthur."

"An excellent point."  Lupin took a long drink from his goblet.  

"APPARENTLY MISS GRANGER AND I ARE THE ONLY SANE PEOPLE REMAINING IN THE ORDER!"

"It doesn't sound as though Severus agrees with it all."

 "Mrs. Weasley, may I be excused?"

"Excused?  But you've hardly eaten anything at all."

"I'm not very hungry."  Hermione pushed her plate away and pushed her chair back, her face a faint shade of green.  "I think I'd rather go lie down."

"Well, if you're sure, I suppose you may.  I'll store your dinner away in case you get hungry in the night."

Hermione mumbled a barely audible 'thank you' and left the table, shaking her head when Ron made to leave with her.  She didn't really want to be with anyone else right at the moment.  She exited the door to the kitchen and came face to face with an agitated Mr. Weasley who had the grace to blush before giving a soft greeting and walking past her to dinner.  The kitchen door shut behind her, leaving her to look through the open door across the hall and meet the gaze of her professor.

They stared at one another for a long, drawn out moment, neither one seeming to know what to say.  Finally, Hermione scraped together enough courage to offer a gentle "I'm sorry, Professor."

"What do you have to be sorry about?"

"That you have to put up with… with all of this."

Snape raised a single brow.  "It would appear that we are in the same predicament, Miss Granger."

"Well, yes, but it's worse for you.  You're a grown man and your father can still do this to you."

"Whereas you and the rest of the Muggleborns have been reduced to so much chattel.  I am afraid that I fail to see how I am worse off in this matter.  I do, after all, get the promise of a young, attractive wife who is not likely to bore me with insipid discussions about shoes and fancy robes over badly cooked dinners."

"But you were yelling at Mr. Weasley just a moment ago about…"

"That was before he imparted a final piece of knowledge."

"And that would be?"

Severus gave a muffled growl.  "Apparently Lucius Malfoy approached your parents with an offer of marriage to Draco prior to this law being enacted."  He saw his fiancé go even paler than himself and sway dangerously on her feet.  "Don't you dare faint again!"

"Malfoy?  But I don't want to be a Malfoy."

"Of course you don't.  You're too intelligent for that.  And at any rate, I don't want to have to bother with poisoning you to prevent such a union."

"You would poison me to keep me from marrying Draco?"

He pondered this for a moment.  "No, that would be foolish as then you would be dead and the Wizarding World would still be stuck with Draco.  I'd poison him, instead."

"I thought you liked Draco."

"Politics," he explained with a wave of his hand.  Silence fell between them once more until, "It's not as though we will actually marry.  With all the fury against this law, I expect it will be thrown out before your graduation.  We only have to let the contract stand until then.  After that the Ministry will have no choice but to willingly dissolve any unwanted contracts that have not yet been sealed by marriage vows and consummation."

"And if we're all wrong?  What if they cannot get the law thrown out?"  She looked at him with wide, fearful eyes. "We can't hold off the wedding forever."

A bitter, cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.  "Then you may rest assured, Miss Granger, that given my lifestyle it is very likely you will find yourself a rather wealthy widow while still young enough to enjoy it."


	4. First Day Back

The atmosphere inside Number 12 Grimmauld place was one of barely controlled chaos when the morning of September 1st arrived, even if they had finally whittled the number of students down from seven to four.  The main reason for this was the sudden disappearance of four badges that had seemed to vanish around the same time Fred and George had gone home to the flat they shared over their Diagon Alley shop front.  The twins weren't answering their floo, so Mr. Weasley had gone off to the shop in order to find out where the badges had gone to.

The Head Boy, Ron, was busy packing his trunk in between muttered threats of violence against his elder brothers.  Harry, still in a bit of a daze of having been named Prefect to fill the now vacant seventh year position, was trying to find out what had happened to the three new pairs of socks he had bought two days before.  Ginny, now serving her second term as a Prefect, was trying to complete her own packing while simultaneously attempting to help her mother with breakfast.  Hermione, whom no one had been surprised to learn was named Head Girl, was still acting as though in shock.  She flinched at loud noises and her eyes were red-rimmed as though she had spent the entire night crying.  No one was expecting her to do much.  Mrs. Weasley had even done most of Hermione's packing for her because the girl kept trying to pack wastepaper baskets and foot stools when she was meaning to pack up her books.

Mr. Weasley eventually returned with the missing badges.  Ginny helped Harry pin his on just right, making sure it was straight in alignment and the proper amount of space from his collar (Hermione had found the 'regulation' placement early in her sixth year).  Ron checked his over closely for jinxes before pinning it on.  Hermione somehow managed to pin hers upside down and on the wrong side of her torso, but Remus gave her a gentle smile as he corrected it.  Ron frowned at the exchange.

"I don't like this, Harry.  She's never been this out of it, not even during our third year when she was running herself into an early grave with that time turner of hers."

"I know.  I'm worried, too.  I mean, we all know Snape's a git, but it's not as though she'll actually have to marry him.  He's just keeping her safe for us."

"Yeah, but I still don't like it.  What happens when all this gets out at school?  I'm not worried about us Gryffindors or the Hufflepuffs, but what about everyone else?"

"Hermione's strong, she can handle it.  Besides, she'll have us."

"Yeah, I guess she will."  Ron still looked unconvinced as he tossed Harry the missing socks.  They had somehow managed to get knocked off the top of the dresser and had been lying just under the edge of Ron's bed.  Harry tossed them into his trunk and shut the lid.  "So, now all three of us have a badge.  Rather brave of Dumbledore."

Harry grinned. "That crossed my mind as well.  Could you imagine what might have happened had there been enough badges for all four Marauders?"

"The castle would've been reduced to ruble by the end of the school year," Ron answered with a snigger.

They were still chuckling over the idea as they brought their trunks down and set them next to Ginny's and Hermione's.  Crookshanks was stretched out atop Hermione's trunk, snoozing in a patch of sunlight filtering through a sparklingly clean window framed by drapes made from rich, garnet colored velvet.  Ron scratched the cat briefly between his ears and was rewarded with a contented purr.  "This place looks loads better, Harry.  Finally looks like a real home instead of a Death Eater's lair."

"Yeah, I think Sirius would've liked living here now.  I wish he'd lived long enough to see it like this."  There was a sad smile tugging at the corners of Harry's mouth.  He no longer teared up when he thought of his god-father, but he did still miss him.  Ron gave his shoulder a light squeeze and jerked his head towards the door leading to the basement kitchen.

"Come on.  Knowing Mum there's a mountain of food downstairs that needs eating."

They were walking across the entry way towards the door when the front door opened behind them. Both boys turned to see who had arrived and froze as Professor Snape took off his outer cloak, shaking it slightly to get rid of the light coat of moisture from the rain outside.  The moment he spotted them his trademark sneer appeared on his face.  "Where is everyone else?"

"Breakfast, sir."

"Let us join them.  I have something important to discuss with all of you before you get on the school train."  He indicated for them to go through the door, and followed closely behind.  They entered the kitchen with Molly sliding two fried eggs onto Hermione's plate and Ginny sneaking a bit of kipper under the table to her cat, Isis.  

"Severus, are you joining us for breakfast, then?  There's plenty to spare."  Molly motioned for him to sit down, ignoring how Hermione nearly knocked her goblet of orange juice over when she heard her betrothed's name.  

"Thank you."  Snape claimed a seat for himself and nodded a polite 'thank you' as Molly put a couple of fried eggs and two fat sausages onto his plate.  "Would you pass me the coffee, Miss Weasley?"

Harry and Ron sat down near Hermione who seemed to have suddenly lost her appetite.  Snape never ate here, but they supposed that he hadn't had time to eat breakfast before coming here.  Harry glanced at Hermione, then at Ron before daring to ask a question.  "Sir, you said there was something you wanted to discuss with all of us before we get onto the school train?"

Snape poured himself a large mug of black coffee.  "There is.  I feel that it would be prudent that we did not mention anything about the contract between me and Miss Granger at this time."

"What purpose is there in avoiding it, Severus?"  Lupin was adding cream to his own coffee.

"I feel it would cause undue hardship on both Miss Granger and me were it to become common knowledge at the school.  Of course it will eventually come out, especially once Miss Granger's actual birthday comes around and certain interested parties realize she is no longer available.  Until then, however, things will go more smoothly if it isn't common knowledge.  It will also allow us to find out just which families are laying in wait for the nineteenth of September.  More than just Lucius Malfoy will want to sign a contract for her and their sons will be arrogant enough to approach her before her birthday."

"Slimy gits."  Ron glared at nothing in particular as he shoved a roll into his mouth.  He didn't notice the quelling look sent his way by his mother.

"Won't someone question why neither of you said anything?"

"Potter, do you honestly think that anyone would expect either Miss Granger or myself to shout our engagement from the rooftops?  No one would question why she was reluctant to tell the world she was betrothed to a man old enough to be her father and who has shown her nothing but contempt for the past six years, nor would anyone question why I would be unwilling to admit that my father had shackled me to a child."

"I guess you're right."  Harry looked back to his plate and concentrated on his toast. 

"Subterfuge is something I have a life long experience with and you will need to trust my instincts on this.  I am aware that it will be difficult for all of you, given the impulsive mannerisms that characterize Gryffindors, but I am confident you can all manage it if you apply yourselves."  Black eyes slid over to the would-be bride, who had not eaten a bite since his arrival and whose skin currently resembled a ghost.  "However, if Miss Granger doesn't stop behaving as though she is suffering from shell shock, it may be a lost cause."  

Hermione looked up sharply, her eyes locking with those of her professor.  She swallowed hard.  "I'm sorry, sir.  I'll… I'll do better."

"Yes, well you can start by finishing your breakfast.  You won't get a proper meal again until the feast tonight."

He said this so matter-of-factly that one would think that he wasn't even paying attention to his own words.  However, it smacked of actual concern, so much so that everyone at the table stopped to stare at him.  Severus appeared oblivious to the attention and began to add salt and pepper to his eggs.  They took that as a sign to resume eating.  Even Hermione managed to force down at least half of her breakfast before it came time for them to be off.

Snape didn't accompany them to Kings Cross, of course.  He left the house the same time they did, but apparated away before they could finish loading their trunks into the shiny new (and magically expanded) Range Rover that had been purchased for the Order's use.  Harry said something about how they were going to look like circus clowns getting out at the station, but only Hermione got the joke. She grinned and stared out the window while Harry patiently explained it to Ron.

They managed to get through the usual crowd at the station and slip through the barrier leading to Platform 9 ¾  without the Muggles noticing.  After milling their way through the crowd of students and parents, they stored their trunks and climbed aboard.  Since the Head Boy and Girl got a compartment of their own, which was the meeting point for all the prefects, they didn't need to worry about where they would spend the remainder of the trip.  All four would stay in the first compartment, which should give them first dibs on the lunch trolley (an idea that made Ron smile).

The prefects slowly trickled in; Padma Patil and Anthony Goldstein, Ernie McMillan and Hannah Abbott and finally Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy.  Hermione forced herself to appear oblivious to the oddly possessive expression in Malfoy's eyes as he raked his gaze over her, but Ron saw it and glared at him as she began to give out directions.  Ron, ever mindful of his desire not to come off as a prat, let her do all the talking when it came to giving order.  Hermione was clear, direct and concise.  It was obvious that she'd make a brilliant teacher one day, and she'd even make some lucky wizard very happy provided she could get out of this current problem without having to marry Snape.  It was a shame that lucky wizard would never be him, but he had already tried it.  They had attempted to make a go of it during their sixth year, but kissing Hermione had been too much like kissing Ginny.  

He must have zoned out because he missed the rest of her speech.  The prefects were dispersing, except for Malfoy.  He seemed to be waiting for something until Hermione called out, "Pansy, would you wait a moment?"

The Slytherin girl looked up and Ron realized for the first time that she looked quite different from the last time he had seen her.  She looked as though she had lost a lot of weight in a short time, and she had already been too thin.  Her eyes were bloodshot as though she had just finished crying and her slightly upturned nose was rubbed raw.  She tried to sneer at Hermione, but the effect was lost.  

"Malfoy, you need to make the rounds with the others.  Ron, could you take Pansy's route?"

"You're kicking me out of my own compartment?"

"_Ron_, Pansy and I have important matters to talk about."  She gave him a stern look that allowed for no protests.  He was going to question what was wrong, but then his memory kicked in. Pansy was tied up in that stupid law as well.  

"Yeah, I can do that."  He moved towards the door, but noticed that Malfoy was still there.  "Hey, Ferret!  Move it!  The ladies want to be alone.  Probably want to talk about disgusting, girl stuff anyway.  Nothing that we should have to sit through."

Malfoy glared at Ron, but as Hermione was still ignoring him, he turned and walked out with a snarl.  Ron followed him, wanting to get rounds over and hoping that Hermione and Pansy were done talking before time for the trolley.

~***~

"How are you holding up, Pansy?"

"I don't know what business it is of yours, Granger."  Pansy thrust out her chin and squared her shoulders, trying to be the ice princess she usually was.  Only someone watching very closely would note the slight tremble to her bottom lip or the redness of her eyes.  

"I just thought… I know this can't be easy for you, Pansy."

"Can't be easy?  Why would it be hard?"  Pansy affected a brittle smile.  "True, I had never thought that I'd have to stoop so low as to marry a Mud…a Muggleborn, but Dean is quite the catch.  Mother and I went to see him the week before last, you know.  His family is quite rich, perhaps almost as well off as the Malfoys.  They have the most beautiful house.  I saw his mother, and she was covered in diamonds and gold.  I'll never want for anything married to Dean Thomas."

"But what about love?  What about… caring for your husband?"

Pansy scoffed.  "My marriage was never going to be about love, Granger.  I wanted to marry Draco for the prestige it would bring me.  I certainly don't love that spoiled little prat!  That's something Dean has over Draco.  Dean isn't stuffed full of himself.  He's… he's sensitive."  She sounded as though she was trying to convince herself of just what a good deal she was getting. However, her cool demeanor twisted into venom.  "I would be more concerned about myself if I were you, Granger.  You've preened and pranced yourself into a tight spot this time."

"What?"  Hermione felt a twinge of panic in her gut.  Did Pansy know about the contract?

Pansy's eyes glittered maliciously.  "Always had to show off, didn't you?  Always had to show just how bloody brilliant you are, how talented you are.  Well, you'll be paying for it now.  I bet there's going to be a cue of wizards a mile long waiting outside the Ministry on your birthday, all wanting to snatch you up so that their own children will be born just as brainy as you.  I hope you get stuck with some doddering old warlock who's outlived all his teeth!  Someone older than Dumbledore!  I hope you get stuck with some horrid man who'll never let you read another book and keeps you in childbed until your nothing but a husk!"

With that, the Slytherin girl stormed from the compartment, her head held high.  However, just as she was exiting the door, Hermione thought she heard Pansy give a tearful sniff.   With a sigh the Head Girl slid the door shut and leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the center window.  This was going to be a very long year.

~***~

The most pressing topic amongst the sixth and seventh year students was, of course, the Marriage Law.  A good number of young men and women who were on the verge of seventeen seemed to also be on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  Many would rather face taking their NEWTs five times over rather than face a forced marriage.  Some of the students were already the victims of an unwanted marriage contract, with most of the offending purebloods being current or former Slytherin students.  It was a recipe to make house tensions run higher than usual. 

"If we can get through this without a fight a day, it'll be a miracle."  Harry shook his head in disbelief as a Nott, a Slytherin seventh year, faced off with Anthony Goldstein of Ravenclaw.  Nott had gone over to the Ravenclaw table to bully his newly betrothed, a pretty brunette named Cassie Wallace.  She had immediately pulled free from his grip as the boys at her house table rose as one to place themselves between the pair.  

"Mr. Nott!"  In a swirl of billowing robes Professor Snape stalked over to his student.  "Return to your seat immediately."  He followed the scowling boy with his own icy glare, ignoring Cassie's near-hysterical whimpers as Padma Patil tried to calm her down.  Hermione gave a sigh as she watched the entire drama.

"I've never wanted to seriously commit an act of violence before."

Ron gave her a disbelieving look.  "So you didn't really want to smack Malfoy our third year?"  He was rewarded by a don't-be-stupid look.  "Who do you want to hurt this time, Hermione?"

"Cornelius Fudge."

Ron's face broke into a wry grin.  "That should be easy.  I'm sure we can find enough students and parents willing to help in the attack."

The doors to the Great Hall swung open, allowing Professor McGonagall and the first years to enter for the sorting.  As the group marched between the house tables, Harry frowned.  "There can't be more than twenty of them."

Ginny sighed.  "That's because there aren't a lot of Muggleborns among them.  Dad says that parents of Muggleborn children usually get visited by a Ministry worker who is supposed to help them understand what is going on once their children get their Hogwarts letters.  But this year a lot of parents refused to let their children come to school once they heard about the new law.  They didn't want their sons and daughters caught up in it."

"That makes sense.  My mum and dad would have done the same thing if this had been going on our first year."

"Glad the Ministry only fell off its rocker now, then.  Hogwarts wouldn't have been half as fun without you, 'Mione."

"Thanks, Ron.  
  


The sorting didn't take very long at all.  Out of the nineteen new students, three were in Slytherin, four were in Hufflepuff, seven were in Ravenclaw and the remaining five went to Gryffindor.  In the eyes of the seventh years the first years looked tiny and innocent… and scared out of their wits.  The hall fell silent as Dumbledore stood up, all heads turning towards him.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts.  Before we begin our Start of Term Feast, I have a few announcements to give out.  To begin with I would like our new students to know that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students.  I would also like for some of our older students to remember this rule as well."  Somehow Hermione, Harry and Ron all managed to keep an innocently straight face, even as the Headmaster leveled his twinkling gaze right in their direction.  "Second, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has updated the list of banned items to include most products sold through Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes.  The entire list is now nearing 500 items and can be viewed in its entirety outside Mr. Filch's office.  Quidditch tryouts will be held the third weekend of this month and all students interested in trying out for their house teams should contact Madame Hooch."

The Headmaster's expression grew very serious as he straightened his half-moon spectacles on his nose.  "The final item I would like to touch upon before the feast is one that has already made an impact upon many of our sixth and seventh year students.  As most of you have doubtless remembered from the end of last term, the Ministry of Magic enacted a law aimed at salvaging the failing Wizarding bloodlines.  The law has become known as The Marriage Law, and in spite of meeting strong resistance from Muggles and Wizards alike, it is still law.  However, while you are here at Hogwarts you are all expected to comport yourselves with dignity and good grace.  As Headmaster I will not tolerate any abuse of the perceived privileges granted by Ministry enforced betrothal contracts.  Any student found to be harassing another student, even one to whom they are betrothed, will be dealt with most severely."

Almost as a single entity, every boy fourth year and above at the Ravenclaw table sent a scathing glare towards Nott. 

"Also, for those of you who find yourselves victims of this law, please remember that the teachers and staff of Hogwarts are here for you at all times.  My door is open to all of you, as are the doors to your Heads of House.  We will do all that we can to help you through this trying time."

Harry reached over and gave Hermione's hand a gentle squeeze.  "We're here for you, too, 'Mione."

She returned his grip with one of her own and forced a brave smile.  "Thank you, Harry."

"And now, without any further ado, let the Feast begin."  And thus began the trio's seventh and final year of school.


	5. The Baby

"Elizabeth!  What a lovely surprise!"  Madam Sprout quickly put down her gardening trowel and stripped off the soil stained gloves protecting her hands from the thorns of the prickly pear she had been pruning.  Her round face beamed with pleasure as she approached her former student.  

"Madam Sprout, it's so good to see you."  Lizzie hugged her former Head of House, heedless of the dirt and chlorophyll that was rubbing off onto her stylish robes of fine wool.  

"And these must be the little angels I've heard so much about!"  The teacher let go of the younger woman and beamed at the three girls standing behind their mother.  "What lovely little girls you have, Lizzie.  Those looks of yours did a lot to soften up the Snape genes, I see."

"They did turn our rather nice, didn't they?  Unfortunately I doubt any of them will be a Hufflepuff."

"No Hufflepuffs, eh?"  Madam Sprout smiled and leaned down.  "And just what houses do you think you'll be in?"

The tallest straightened her shoulders and smiled.  "I plan to be in Ravenclaw."

The next one in line grinned mischievously.  "I'm going to be in Gryffindor."

The tiny little toddler plucked her thumb from her mouth.  "I SNAKE!"

The women laughed, amused by the sincerity in all three girls.  "So, tell me, what brings you to Hogwarts, Lizzie?  I'm afraid your eldest still has a few years to go before you can leave her with us."

"I thought I'd stop by and pay a visit to my step-son.  Normally I would have left the girls with their father, but I'm a bit put out with him at the moment, and my mother isn't as wily as she used to be.  These three walk all over her if you give them the chance."

"Hmm… take after their father's side of the family, do they?  Well, at least they come by it naturally.  I believe Severus has a class at this time, Gryffindor and Slytherin.  You might want to wait until it's over.  If we pull him out of there now that lot will go for blood."

"The Headmaster is still trying to get those houses to play nice, is he?"

"I am hoping for a truce, at the very least."  Everyone spun around to see Albus Dumbledore smiling from the doorway of the greenhouse.  "It's good to see you again, Mrs. Snape.  I hear you have been very busy.  Why don't you all join me in my office and you can tell us all about it over tea."

Trinity reached out and tugged on her eldest sister's sleeve.  "What?"

"That Santa?"

Albus laughed.  "No, I'm afraid that I am nowhere near as popular or as well liked as Saint Nicholas, my dear.  However, I do have some rather nice biscuits in my office for tea, and perhaps a few things a bright little girl such as you would find interesting."

With the promise of biscuits and possible playthings, Trinity toddled over to take the tall man's hand.  Catherine gave a long suffering sigh as her other sister hurried after the pair, shooting of the silliest questions one could possible ask a man as great as Albus Dumbledore.

~***~

"Don't worry, Elizabeth.  Sir Nicholas is an excellent guide of the school.  The girls are perfectly safe with him."

"I'm more worried if the school is safe from my daughters."

The headmaster smiled as he poured Lizzie, Madam Sprout and himself all cups of tea.  "Do you still take yours with cream and sugar?"

"Yes, please."  She accepted the delicate china cup and inhaled the vapors rising from the surface of the tea.  "I suppose you've already heard about my husband's latest attempt to drive his son and heir insane."  She arched one perfectly shaped, honey-gold brow as the aging wizard chuckled.  "I hardly think it is a laughing matter."

"Forgive me, but if you had been the one blessed with listening to nearly an hour of his ranting, you'd be laughing as well."

Madam Sprout looked mystified.  "What's the matter with Severus?"

Lizzie sighed and shook her head.  "My idiot of a husband signed a betrothal contract in his name under that stupid marriage law."

The Herbology teacher began to choke on her tea.  "S…Severus?  Married!  Why would Augustus even begin to think that was a good idea?"

"I think he may have been drunk at the time."  Lizzie added three more sugar cubes to her tea.

"But who is the poor girl?"

Lizzie was about to answer, but the Headmaster cut across her smoothly. "Severus does not wish for the identity of his betrothed to be common knowledge just yet.  I believe he holds out hope that our dear Mrs. Snape will be successful in her efforts to have the law repealed."  He gave Elizabeth a warning look, which she quickly took to heart.  Madam Sprout, however, was a teacher and an extremely clever one at that.

"Sweet Merlin!  Albus, tell me he isn't betrothed to a _student_!"

Lizzie signed again.  "I'm afraid that he did.  I do hope that Severus isn't going to make things difficult for her."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, Elizabeth.  Severus knows full well who is to blame in this matter and he's being uncharacteristically reasonable about it all."

Mrs. Snape looked rather like someone had stuck her in the back of the head with a shovel.  "Well _that certainly isn't the Professor Snape I remember."_

~***~

"And if you come this way, I can show you to the kitchens.  I'm sure that the House Elves would be most grateful should I bring three lovely young ladies to visit them.  They adore plying a body with sweets and cakes."

Catherine and Jennifer eagerly followed the hovering form of Sir Nicholas towards yet another flight of stairs.  Trinity was growing very weary of going up.  Her chubby little legs had trouble keeping up with her older sisters and the funny, floating man kept taking them _up!  Hadn't he ever heard of _down_?  With a tired little huff, the toddler decided that she wouldn't follow her sisters and the funny, floating man any longer.  Down was easier.  She wanted to go down._

Down was easy, and there were lots and lots of stairs in this castle.  And there were lots of pictures that moved, like the long hallway in her parents' home with all the cranky people her father said were her 'ant sitters', whatever that meant.  She never understood why you would want to sit on ants.  And there were metal men who stood on platforms and never moved, although sometimes they did laugh.  Catherine said that this was a school, and that they would all come here when they were old enough, but that she would have to wait the longest because she was the littlest.  Actually, Catherine had said that she would have to wait because she was the baby.

Trinity really hated being called 'the baby'.  Babies had to wear diapers because they weren't smart enough to know when to go potty.  She knew perfectly well when she had to go potty.  And babies weren't clever enough to feed themselves.  Trinity knew perfectly well how to feed herself.  And babies had trouble going down steps.  Trinity was having very little trouble with that particular challenge.  Going down steps was much easier than climbing up them.

She liked this place.  There were lots of things to see here.  She wondered how long they were staying.  She also wondered what was behind that big door off to the side of the corridor.  It was standing open and looked like it had more steps going down.  Ever curious, she peered down into what looked like a stone hallway lined with flickering torches before she dared to enter.  She stuck her thumb into her mouth, knowing her mother would scold her if she saw her doing it (but what else did Mum expect her to do when she took away her binky?) and started down the steps into the stone hallway.

It was full of little twists and turns, much like the hedge maze in the garden.  Trinity had never been in the hedge maze of course, everyone thought she was too little, but she had looked at it for hours and hours from the nursery window.  It looked very interesting.  There weren't as many pictures down here as there were upstairs, and there were a lot more torches.  The flickering lights made the shadows on the wall dance and shimmy, and there was a faint drip-drip-dripping noise, like water from a leaky faucet.  Trinity listened very hard to try and figure out where the noise was coming from, but another sound caught her attention. 

"Mr. Finnegan!  If I catch your bringing one of your idiotic magazines into this class again, it will mean one hundred points from Gryffindor!"

It sounded rather like Daddy when he was yelling at the people in the toy shop that time she had wanted a tricycle painted bright orange and they had insisted tricycles only came in red.  In the end she had gotten her orange tricycle. Daddy was very good at getting her what she wanted.  All she had to do was tremble her bottom lip a bit and look like she was going to cry.  It was very much like magic.

She turned a corner and saw a room at the very end.  The door was open and there were people inside.  Trinity's little patent leather shoes made soft clicking noises on the stone floor as she walked towards the room.  Just as she was reaching the door, a man as tall as Daddy swept by, his black robes billowing out behind him.  It wasn't Daddy, of course.  Daddy was much wider than this man, but there was still something oddly familiar about him. 

She walked into the room to stand just behind the tall man with the shoulder length black hair.  She had her left thumb still in her mouth as her right hand was behind her, toying with the ribbon belt that adorned the frilly dress Nana had insisted on her wearing today.  She didn't really like to wear frills, they got in the way when you wanted to play in the dirt, but Mum said that they needed to keep Nana happy because she wouldn't be with them much longer.  Mum had never said where Nana was going, though.

"Now class, I cannot impress upon you enough the importance of paying attention to what you are doing today.  The instructions to today's potion are on the board.  This is a double lesson, so you should have just enough time to complete the project if you begin… now."

She didn't understand all of what the tall man said, but it must have been important because all of the other people in the room began to move very quickly.  He was very much like Daddy, because people tended to move very quickly when Daddy spoke, too.  Trinity continued to follow behind him, a few steps distance between her feet and his robes.  They walked past one of the many tables in the room where a girl sat behind one of the funny pots all the people had.  It was the girl who noticed Trinity first. 

"Uhm… excuse me, Professor Snape…"

"Miss Granger, I doubt very seriously that you have any questions and I have no patience for your showing off today."

"But, Professor…"

"Be SILENT Miss Granger!"  The man never turned around to address the girl, but appeared to be more interested in a couple of boys near the front of the class.  "Thomas!  Finnegan!  You have your ingredients, NOW SIT DOWN!"

Trinity was so shocked by the sudden raise in tone that she jumped.  It became apparent to her that perhaps it was best to obey the tall man.  Looking around she saw that there was a stool empty next to the girl who had tried to speak before.  She walked over to it and took her thumb out of her mouth long enough to use both hands to try and climb up onto the seat.  The stool began to tip from her weight, but the girl reached out quickly and steadied it for her.  Trinity made it to the top and gave the girl her most adorable grin before turning around on the seat and putting her thumb back into her mouth.

She looked around and watched the other people in the room.  They were all smashing stuff up in little bowls with funny little things that looked like fat sticks.  Trinity didn't have a bowl or funny stick, but the girl next to her had a long-handled spoon she wasn't using and a pile of what looked like dried flowers.  She could smash up stuff like the other people if she had those.  Leaning over she took a handful of the dried flowers and the unused spoon.  Placing the flowers in front of her on the table she began to hit them firmly with the spoon.

It was quite fun to smash up the dried flowers.  So much fun that Trinity failed to notice that the noise she was making attracted the attention of the tall man.  It wasn't until his shadow fell over her that she looked up.  He didn't look exactly like Daddy, but he did have Daddy's nose and black eyes.  He was looking down at her with a stern expression.  Her response was to give him another one of her adorable smiles.

"Miss Granger?  Why is there a child in the seat next to you?"

The girl next to her must be 'Miss Granger' because she began to talk.  "I don't know, Professor.  She just came into the classroom."

"Why did you not say anything?"

"I tried, Professor.  You told me to be quiet."

The tall man arched a brow, just like Daddy did sometimes.  He looked down his long nose at her.  "Who are you?"

"I Twinity."

"And how did you get here?"

Well that was a rather silly question.  "Walked down."  Weren't grown-ups supposed to be clever?

The tall man opened his mouth as though to speak, but fell silent as voices sounded from the hall.  "I told the two of you to keep an eye on her!  You were supposed to hold her hand at all times."

"But Mum, she wouldn't hold our hands.  We tried."

"You should have insisted, Catherine.  You're the oldest. You're supposed to look out for your sisters."

"Everything will be fine, Elizabeth.  She couldn't have gone far."  The nice Santa man came through the door with her mother and sisters behind him.  "Severus, we seem to have… oh.  There you are, Miss Snape."

"Trinity!"  Her mother rushed forward and scooped her up into her arms, hugging her close.  "What in Heaven's name are you doing down here?"

"I smash flowers."  Trinity pointed to the little pile of slightly flattened blossoms on the table.  

"Severus, I believe you remember your father's wife, Elizabeth Snape."

"I recall something about her, certainly."  The tall man nodded his head at her mum.  "To what does Hogwarts owe this pleasure, Ma'am?"

"Actually, I came to have a word with you.  We were going to wait until your class was over, but Trinity got away from us."

"Are you really our brother?"  All heads turned towards Jenny, who was peering up at the tall man curiously.  Cathy rolled her eyes.

"Of course he is, you idiot."  Trinity's biggest sister stepped forward and curtsied.  "How-do-you-do, Severus.  I'm Catherine, and this my sister, Jennifer.  That's Trinity.  She's the baby."

"I NOT BABY!"  Trinity threw the spoon still in her hand at her sister's head.  Her mum frowned. 

"No throwing!  You know better."  Trinity glared and folded her chubby arms over her chest, shooting daggers at Catherine.   "I do apologize for the interruption, Severus, but might I have a word with you once your class is over?"

"I can hardly wait."  The tall man didn't look very happy to see them there, but that didn't seem to matter to anyone else.  Trinity placed her head on her mother's shoulder and stuck her thumb back into her mouth.  "Now, if you will all excuse me, I have a class to teach."

"Of course, Severus.  Thank you for looking after your little sister for us.  I'm afraid Lizzie was quite upset."

"It was nothing, Headmaster.  You should be thanking Miss Granger.  She was the one who saw fit to keep… Trinity… entertained."  Mum suddenly looked over towards Miss Granger whose skin had gone very pink.

"We won't keep you any longer, then.  I'll arrange for a nice tea to be sent to your quarters after class, then.  Good-day, Severus."  With that, the nice Santa man led them all from the room, leaving the tall man behind with the people and their funny pots.


	6. Conversations

The rest of the class went flawlessly.  No one whispered, no one daydreamed and no one failed to get their potion correct.  Even Neville Longbottom had managed to brew a perfect concoction.  The main reason for this was the fact that Professor Snape looked so furious that it wouldn't have been a very far stretch of the imagination to think he would literally rip the head off of the first student who made an error.  No one wanted to be that student.

"Miss Granger!  Stay behind."

Even the Slytherins gave the Head Girl looks of complete sympathy as they passed her.  Hermione refused to let herself look nervous as she calmly packed away her supplies.  When the last student had exited the classroom her fiancé approached her work table.  "Do you have another class or study session after this one?"

"No, Sir."

"Then come with me."  He swept out of the dungeons, not waiting to give her time to shoulder her book satchel.  His long legs carried him swiftly through the corridors as she hurried to keep up.  Eventually, they came to his private quarters.  He didn't have to wonder who had disturbed the wards.  He could almost smell the sugar from those infernal candies the Headmaster was forever sucking on.  His lips curled into a sneer as he opened the door.

"Trinity, that is not a toy."  Elizabeth was taking a crystal phial from her youngest child's chubby hand in spite of the toddler's protests.  There was already a table set with a welcoming tea.  The other two girls were staring wistfully at the silver tray piled high with biscuits and cakes, apparently waiting for their host to arrive.  

"Elizabeth."  The woman looked up when he spoke, then straightened up, pulling Trinity up with her and cradling her on one hip.  

"I apologize for that, Severus.  They're so curious at this age."

"Indeed.  That is why I've brought Miss Granger along.  I felt it best that your daughters not be present in case matters turn… uncomfortable."

Hermione blinked and looked from Snape to Lizzie and back again.  "Are you sure?  They're quite a handful.  Give them the chance and they'll tear this castle down around our ears.  And doesn't Miss Granger have more important things to do?  She's due to sit her NEWTs this year."

"She could have passed them with record marks last year.  Miss Granger, I trust you will be able to handle these three.  It should still be nice enough outside for them to enjoy the grounds."

"Yes, Professor."

Catherine looked up and over at her mother.  "Are we to go with her, then, Mother?"

Jennifer took a more direct approach and addressed Hermione directly.  "Is it true that there is a giant squid in the lake?  Sir Nicholas said that there was."

Trinity had her thumb in her mouth again and was looking at the girl speculatively.  Apparently she was still feeling friendly towards Hermione, because she suddenly lunged towards her with both arms outstretched.  Lizzie was just barely quick enough to keep from dropping her.  "Well, I suppose that settles things.  Girls, go with Miss Granger, and mind what she tells you.  She's in charge.  If I hear that you've been misbehaving I'll have you out in Grandmother's garden pruning her hedges for a week."  

There was a unified 'Yes, Mother' from the two older girls as Trinity happily snuggled herself into Hermione's arms. With a nod to Professor Snape and Lizzie, the Head Girl led her charges from the dungeons.

Catherine took position on Hermione's right side.  "Where are we going?"

Jennifer flanked Hermione on the left.  "We didn't get any biscuits or cakes.  Mr. Dumbledore ordered them especially for us, and Severus made us leave before we could have any."

"We can stop by the kitchens and get a bite to eat, then we'll go out onto the grounds.  If we're lucky the Giant Squid will be in the shallows and you can see him."

"You mean there really is a giant squid in the lake?  Is it really that deep, then?"

"More than deep enough. There are all kinds of things in the lake.  There's even a village of merpeople at the bottom."

"Merpeople?"  Catherine tugged a lock of Hermione's hair out of Trinity's hand.  "Like in the storybooks?"

"Not nearly that pretty.  The merpeople in our lake are rather wild looking."  As they rounded a corner they came face to face with Harry and Ron.  

"'Mione!  There you are.  Harry and me were just coming down to rescue you."  Ron looked at the girls on either side of Hermione and then to the toddler in her arms.  "What are you doing?"

"Professor Snape asked me to look after his sisters while him and his step-mother talk.  We were on our way to the kitchens to get something to eat before going out on the grounds."

"The kitchens?  Excellent!  We'll go with you.  We can show them the Quidditch pitch."

"That could be fun.  Girls, this is my friend Ronald Weasley and this is my other good friend, Harry Potter.  Guys, this is… oh… I'm sorry.  Everything went by so quickly in class, I'm afraid I've forgotten which is which."

Catherine curtsied.  "Catherine Eliza Henrietta Louisa Snape.  I am very please to meet you."

Jennifer rolled her eyes in response to her sister's showing off.  "I'm Jenny.  Are you the _real Harry Potter?"_

Harry grinned a bit crookedly.  "Unfortunately.  Hey, Hermione, lemme take that book bag for you.  Looks like you've got your arms full."

"Oh, thank you."  

Harry reached up and took the satchel from her shoulders, smiling at the pair of bright blue eyes the peering at him over Hermione's shoulder.  "Hello there."  The child grinned and waved the fingers of one pudgy hand.

"That's our sister Trinity," offered Jenny.  "She's the baby."  Trinity's back went ramrod straight as she whirled her head around to glare at her sister.  Jenny almost managed to look as though she didn't notice.  The smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth gave her away.  

Harry grinned and tweaked one of the toddler's curls.  "And the prettiest of the bunch, too."  The compliment worked just as it was meant to.  Trinity graced Harry with one of the special smiles she usually only gave her father.

The six of them eventually got to the kitchens where some of the house elves eagerly fixed them a picnic basket of food while other house elves ooohed and ahhhed over the little girls.  Eventually they left to make their way to the grounds.  Jenny was firing questions at Harry, each new one coming almost before he finished answering the one before it.  Catherine was busy asking Ron and Hermione about the classes they took and what their teachers were like.  Trinity had decided she would rather be carried by Ron than Hermione (he bigger and looked stronger) and was content to rest her head on his shoulder as she nibbled a chocolate biscuit.  

"So you're Head Girl and Boy, then?  You must be very clever.  Why aren't you in Ravenclaw?  Isn't that where the clever people go?"

"My whole family's in Gryffindor, and Hermione here is braver than she looks."

"What?"  Hermione shot Ron an incredulous look, but he only grinned back at her.  The front doors open to let them all step out into the bright sunshine.  There wouldn't be many days like this left before the cold set in, and they intended on enjoying it while they could.  The Giant Squid obliged them by being in the shallows as they caught sight of the lake, waving a large tentacle about lazily.  Jenny squealed excitedly and broke into a run.  "Don't go into the water!  There are Grindlylows in there as well."

"I won't!" the child yelled back over her shoulder.  

"Please forgive my younger sister.  She can be such a child at times."

Ron looked down at Catherine's serious expression and nodded gravely.  "It's a burden that we older siblings must bear."  Hermione rolled her eyes at the both of them.  "Where should we set up the food, 'Mione?"

"Under our usual tree."  Hermione carried the basket over and set it down on the soft grass.  The house elves had even thought to put a large blanket in the top of the basket, which she spread out onto the ground.  Catherine helped her to spread it out evenly before both girls and Ron settled down onto it.  Ron shifted his weight so that Trinity could sit in his lap before fishing out another biscuit for her.  Harry was too busy answering Jenny's summons to skip stones with her to join them just yet.

"What is your favorite class, Miss Granger?"

"Please, call me Hermione."  She poured a mug of pumpkin juice from a jug in the basket and handed it to Catherine.  "I'd have to say that my favorite is Arithmancy, followed by Transfigurations and then Potions."

Ron sat up.  "What?  You _like Potions?"_

"It's a very challenging and interesting class."  Hermione prepared a sippy-cup of juice for Trinity before pouring another mug full for Ron.  "And there are so many practical uses for potions."

"Well sure, but that doesn't mean you have to enjoy the class.  I mean, Snape is such…"

"Ron."  It was only one word, but it held a wealth of meaning.  He looked Hermione, who motioned towards each of the girls with them using only her eyes.  

"Errr… yeah… right."  His ears went red as he fell silent.  Catherine tilted her head curiously.

"Isn't my brother a good teacher?"

Ron and Hermione looked at one another, caught off guard for a second.  

"Oh, well, he's…"

"Professor Snape is very…"

It was a rather sticky question.

~***~

As the door shut behind Hermione and the girls, Severus turned around to face his step-mother.  She was standing by one of his chairs with her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed in a menacing glare.  "What?"

"You're doing it already."

"Doing what?"

"Ordering her around like a servant!  Treating her like a piece of property rather than like an intelligent human being!"

Severus snarled under his breath.  "Don't be ridiculous!  That was me ordering a student about!  It had nothing to do with our current predicament."

Lizzie snorted.  "Of course it didn't."

Snape narrowed his eyes.  "Madam, if you have come to hurl accusations at my head, kindly remember just _which_ Snape is responsible for this."

"Oh, don't worry, I know exactly whom to blame.  Believe me; he's not getting out of this unscathed."

"Then kindly turn your venom elsewhere.  I haven't the patience for it."  In a rustle of billowing robes Severus claimed chair by the hearth without offering to let Lizzie sit down first.  If she noticed the slight she said nothing about it, but took the chair across from him.

"I'm sorry, Severus.  You're right.  You are as much a victim in this as she is."

"Thank you for being so reasonable.  Now, would you care _why you are here?  That eldest girl of yours can't be more than five, so she certainly isn't ready to start school."_

"She's six, actually, and she would be more than able to hold her own if I were to start her today.  I came because I wanted to make sure that… that everything was going to be all right.  I've grown quite fond of the Grangers, and they are both very worried for their daughter."

Snape arched a single brow.  "I take it that they are part of your committee, then?"

"They've been getting the paper delivered even when their daughter isn't at home.  The moment they heard about the Marriage Law they contacted the Weasleys.  Arthur and Molly invited them to join them when they came to speak with me.  I… uh… I was the Ministry when the law was passed and I'm afraid that I caused a rather big scene."

A grin tugged at the corners of Severus' mouth.  "I seem to remember reading something about it in the papers.  Something about you hurling Cornelius Fudge into the Fountain of Magical Brethren and then hurling both Wizarding and Muggle insults at him in four different languages."  The grin eventually appeared as he looked at Lizzie's flaming face.  "You always seemed like such a sweet, docile Hufflepuff.  Wherever did you learn such foul language?"

"My father was a sailor who liked his rum."

"And suddenly it is all so much clearer."  He turned his attention to the tea tray.  "Can I interest you in a cup?"

Relieved to be moving away from her display of temper at the Ministry, Mrs. Snape smiled.  "Yes, please.  Cream and six sugars, if you will."

"Six?  The Headmaster's sweet tooth must be contagious."

"The Grangers are always scolding me about how much sugar I eat.  They're both dentists, you know.  Very popular ones from what I can gather."

"I take the time to familiarize myself with the personal files of all my students, Elizabeth."

"So you knew my father was a sailor."  

"I would hardly call a Naval Captain a mere 'sailor'."  He handed her a cup of tea prepared to her specifications.  He took his own without cream or sugar, preferring the slightly bitter taste of the untainted tea.  "The Grangers' current state of upset is regrettable, but there is little that can be done to alleviate the problem.  Until you manage to work some magic of your own and get this ridiculous law thrown out, Miss Granger is vulnerable."

Lizzie sighed.  "Hermione Granger is not the only one in danger.  I realize that there are other concerns at the moment, and even though no one has ever come right out and said so, I suspect that Albus Dumbledore has his own band of allies and followers fighting against You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters, but you all act as though the fate of the entire world hinges on this one girl."

"It very well may."

Elizabeth blinked and set her cup back onto her saucer.  "How do you mean?"

Severus took a long drink of his own tea, as though buying time to form thoughts into words.  "Everyone is terrified of the Dark Lord.  They tremble in fear at the mere mention of him.  In their terror they have forgotten that he was once a man, and before that he was a boy.  He was a student at this very school, and a brilliant one.  Fifty years ago he set academic records that broke even those set by Dumbledore in his own youth.  Those records stood unchallenged for five decades until Hermione Granger walked into this castle.  She has shattered them all through dedication and her own brilliance."

"You think she could be powerful enough to defeat… well… I thought it was believed that Harry Potter would be the one to…"

"And he may very well be the one to defeat the Dark Lord, but if there is one thing that has become blatantly obvious during the past six years it is that Mr. Potter has a penchant for getting into sticky situations that only his friend, Miss Granger, can get him out of.  That boy hardly makes a move without her behind him.  He may be the muscle, but she is the mind.

"She is also fairly attractive and extremely powerful.  She will be an asset to any wizarding family.  The Death Eaters could accomplish two feats through this law; the first is to bind Hermione Granger to one of their own sons and thereby securing their family bloodline and the second is to deal a crushing blow to the Light by taking away one of our most powerful allies.  It is of tantamount importance that the girl doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

"I don't think that the Grangers realize any of that, not truly.  Oh, they had the measure of Lucius Malfoy right enough.  Of course, that wouldn't be too hard to do.  The man positively screams 'evil git' when he walks into a room."

"And he would most certainly fall under the category of 'wrong hands'.  Our original plan, of course, was to tie the girl to the Weasleys.  She's rather close to that particular family."

"So I've heard.  In any event, our allies have determined that leaving her tied to me is for the best.  They seem to feel that I'm more intimidating that the Weasleys."

"I don't know where they would have gotten that idea."  Lizzie set her cup down upon a little table by her chair.  "Severus, I know you've never been fond of me, and I suspect there is some resentment at my marrying your father…"

"It has nothing to do with you.  Well, not entirely with you."

"I don't seek to take your mother's place."

"That would be hard to do since, in my father's eyes, my mother never had a place.  I am, however, disappointed in you."

"Disappointed?"

"You were Head Girl and as clever as they come.  Rarely do I have a student who actually _enjoys learning.  I can honestly say that I haven't had one of your ilk since, well, since Miss Granger finally came to school.  I only had you during your seventh year, but you left an impression.  I am disappointed because I would have thought you had more intelligence than to marry a man like my father.  You could have been great."_

"Severus, I am great.  I'm exactly what I've always wanted to be.  Just because a witch has brains and talent doesn't mean she has to throw herself into a career.  I'm happy being a wife and mother."

Her response seemed to have taken him by surprise.  "But it seems like such a waste of talent!"

Lizzie smiled, her blue eyes flashing in the firelight.  "Why, Severus… you're a feminist.  I never would have guessed."

He shot a glare directly at her.  "It is just that I do not hold with the antiquated notions of my peers.  There's no reason to tie a witch to childbed her entire life, and many of the conveniences and advances we enjoy today were brought about by witches, not wizards.  As a society we are made richer through equal cooperation."

"And if all Hermione Granger wants is to be a wife and mother?"

Severus gave an uncharacteristic bark of laughter. "_Her?  Don't be an idiot.  That girl plans to save the world.  You can't do that if you're elbow deep in nappies and bottles."_

"So, because I'm a mother, there's no hope of me getting that law thrown out."

"That's different."

"How?"

"You're not alone, and you have my family's name and gold behind you."

"But not your father's support, it would seem."  She was aware that a touch of bitterness entered her voice.  

Severus shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  "I… I spoke to him after you had left.  He's… he's remorseful."

"Of course he is.  He's sleeping alone."

Snape flinched.  "That's rather blunt for a Hufflepuff, don't you think?  I assure you, I have been traumatized enough in my life.  Please don't call up images of my father having sex."

"Where did you think the girls came from?  A cabbage patch?"

He shot her a rather dirty look.  "That youngest one is going to be a problem."

"She already is, but it's Jennifer you need to watch out for.  She's the middle one.  She looks prim and proper, but she's a prankster and a hoyden."

"And the eldest?"

Lizzie smiled.  "Catherine.  She's six going on thirty.  Far too serious and so clever it's scary.  She found out that she was named after an empress and she's been playing the part ever since."

"Any future Slytherins among them?"

"Lucky man, you get Trinity."

"I can hardly wait."  The sarcasm was impossible to miss.  Lizzie gave a full, unladylike laugh.

"Oh, Trinity isn't so bad, although she is rather manipulative.  I think your father encourages it.  She knows she's adorable and uses it to her advantage."  Lizzie looked down at her lap and toyed with one of the hand-carved buttons of her robes.  "Severus… I know that you and your father aren't on the best of terms…"

"You're too generous.  I loathe the man."

"Severus, he knows that he's made mistakes.  He knows that he botched things royally with your mother and with you, and he truly does want to make amends.  It hurts him that you refuse to speak with him, that you won't even accept our invitations to visit of the holidays.  But you know your father.  His pride won't let him make the first move.  If… if you would just speak with him, make the first move…"

Severus stood suddenly from his chair, his face gone hard.  "You tread on things that are none of your affair."

Elizabeth stood up just as quickly.  "He's my husband!  I love him!  That makes it my affair!"

"You can't possibly love him!  He's old enough to be your own father!"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT!"  She screwed her eyes shut and took several deep breaths.  "Severus, I know you hate him, and you have more than ample reason to do so, but please understand that he hates himself as well.  Oh, he puts on a good show for everyone else, but I'm the one who lives with him.  I'm the one who sees the times when he shuts himself up in his study with a bottle of brandy and drinks himself into oblivion.  I'm the one who finds him in the portrait gallery in front of your mother's painting, begging her to forgive him."

"Too late for that."

"He _knows_ that, Severus!  He knows that and it tears him up inside.  And he knows how much he has hurt you, his only son."  She dared to step forward and place a timid hand on his arm.  "He loves you.  I know he's never told you so, but he does.  He's fully aware that he can't undo the past, that he can't erase the tears and the fights, but he would like the chance to repair what he can.  Men are so foolish over their sons, but I can't give him one.  I tried with Trinity and it nearly killed us both.

"And the girls want to know you, Severus.  Cathy and Jenny are old enough to start asking why you never come to the manor.  Trinity will realize it soon enough.  They're your sisters and they're curious about you.  It cuts your father like razors when they ask about you."

Severus calmly detached her hand from his person.  "I believe our visit is at an end, Madam.  You know the way out."  It was curt and cold dismissal.  He turned away from her and left for the safety of his private potions lab, ignoring the soft sound of a sob coming from the woman by his hearth.


End file.
